Electric heater



Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

- DONALD H. MGGORKLE' OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed December 10,` 1923. Serial No. 679,628.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DONALD H. MoCoRKLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Berkeley, county of Alameda, State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Electric Heater, of which the following is a specification. Y I

My invention relates to electric room heaters of the portable or fireplace type, and one of the objects of the invention is the prof vision of an electric heater in which substantially one-half of the heat generated by the heating element is thrown directly into the air from the incandescent and visible surface of the heating element, while the remaining heat'from the heating element is, absorbed by a partially surrounding wall, and conducted by convection to radiating surfaces from which it passes to the air, inducing a circulation thereof past the radiating surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heater unit comprising a tube having a reentrant portion in which the electric heating element is disposed. y y Y j Another obj ect of the invention is the provision of an electric heater of the character described comprising the advantages of a visible incandescent heating element, and heat radiating surfaces which force a circu lation of the air of the room in whichthe heater is placed.

My invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some yof which, with the foregoing-will be set forth in the follow-l ing description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form with; in the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims. v

, Referring to the drawings z- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a two-unit heater embodying my invention. A portion of the front wall is omitted, better to disclose the internal structure of Ithe heater. l

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the heater shown in Figure 1, a portion of the side wall being broken away to disclose the heating unit.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of my heater, the plane of section being indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the upper portion of my heater as adapted for a lireplace. The remainder of the fireplace heater is the same as that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevation of another embodiment of my invent-ion, and having but a single heating unit.

Figure 6 isi a vertical section of the'heater shown in Figure 5, the plane of section being indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

In terms of broad inclusion my electric heater comprises a housing, the front wall of which is formed as a grill, and within which is supported one or more heating units which are spaced from the walls of the housing and from each other, where two or more are used, Each heating -unit comprises a tube having a reentrant portion in which the heating element, which is preferably in strip form, is disposed. Suitable switch controlled electrical connections are provided sothat the heater may be plugged in on any convenient supply line.

In detail, the heater of my invention co1nprises a housing which, as shown in Figure 1, may be of rectangular form with the front wall 2 formed as a grill of any desired design. The side walls 3 and 4 and the rear or back wall'6 are preferably solid or imperforate. vIn the portable type of heater shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front and rear walls meet in a curved top 7 pant of which is a continuation of the grill as shown, or in any other suitable shape. In the fireplace type of heater, as shown in Figure 4,

the rear wall 6 curves forwardly in the top 8 to meet the front wall 2 so as to direct the currents of air forwardly into the room. The lower portion of the housing within the walls is left as unobstructed as possible to afd bars are preferably parallel and spaced troni the iront and rear walls oit the housing as shown, and the bars 12 and 13 are vertically alined respectively with the bars 14 and 15.

Spaced troni each other and from the sides oi' the housing and secured to the bars 12, 13, 14 and 15 by suitable ineans such as the bolts 1G, are tubes 17 ot generally rec-v tangular section, as shown in Figure 3, and formed with a reentrant portion 18, across the upper portion ot which the bar 13 passes, and across the lower portion ot which the bar 15 passes. Arranged within the recess 19 enclosed by the reentrant portion ot the tubes, and supported at the top and bottoni by the bars 13 and 15, is a heating eleinent 21p1eterably a strip heating elenient ot known structure. Porcelain tubes 22 disposed in the walls ol the tube provide sate passage therethrough tor the conductors 23 which connect the strip heating eleinent with a suitable source ot energy. A switch 24 which preferably is placed on the lower trout portion. ot the housing'and is interposed in the circuit in the'usual way, provides ineans tor controlling theA operation of each unit.

Since both ends ot the tubes 1'( are open and the recntrant portion extends longitudinally the full length oi the tube, there are provided a plurality ot passages or tlues tor air, troni the rooin in which the heater is placed, to pass upwardly through the heater in contact Vwith the heated surtaces. One such column oit air Vpasses upwardly through the recess 19 torined by the reentrant portion of each tube. Another streani passes upwardly through the passage 26 enclosed Yithin the tube, and still other streams pass upwardly along the outer walls ot the tubes.

Then 'the electric heating eleinent is energized, a portion preferably about onehaht of the heat generated thereby, is radiated forwardly directly into the Vatmosphere through the grill, the front portion ot the heating element becoming incandescent so that iny heater has the advantage ot vist bly incandescent element which inalres a strong appeal to niost users ot such a device. The walls 18 ot the rcentrant portion ot the tube also absorb heat troni the heating ele nient, and by convection this heat is carried around through the walls ot the tube so that even the rear wall, tar hest reinoved 'from the heating eleinent, becoines hot and capable otiinparting heat to the ascending currents ot air passing through the tubes and housing. Because ot these radiating surtaces and the tubular construction, a draft oi air is induced through the heater. lily device thus also einbodies the advantage ot circulating' the air in the rooin so that the entire rooin is evenly heated.

T Figures and G, l have shown a single unit in which the housing comprises a cy'- lindrical shell 31, a portion 32 of which, is tor-ined as a grill. Within the housing is a tube 33 having' the reentrant portion 34 bridged at the top and bottoni by bars 35, to which are attached the strip heating eleinents 37, energized by the conductors 38 and controlled by the convenient-ly placed switch 39. Means are provided for holding the housing and tubes in proper relation, by a top 41 and base 42 ot any pleasing design, each provided with spacing lugs 43 tor the tubes and a iiange 44 for the housing 41. Both the top and bottoni are formed with apertures to permit as tree a passage ot air through the housing and tubes as possible, and a. long bolt 46 connecting the top and base, holds theni upon the tubes and housing as shown. Y

I claim:

1. ln an electricheater, a tube havingaV and a housing spaced troni and surrounding y the tube.

3. ln an electric heater, a tube having areentrant portion, an electric heating element arranged within the reentrant portion, and a housing spaced troni and surrounding the tube and having one side torined as 'a grill.

4. ln an electric heater, a tube open at both ends and having a reentrant portion extending longitudinally thereof, and an electric heating eleine'nt'arranged within the reentrantportion. Y

5. In an electric heater, a tube open at both ends and having a reentrant portion extending longitudinally thereof, an electric heating eleinent arranged within the reentrant portion,`and a housing open at the bottoni and with one side formed as a grill spaced from and surrounding the tube.

6. en electric heater comprising a housing, bars supported onl opposite sides of the housing, a plurality ot tubes spaced troni each other and troni the sides ot the housing and supported on said bars, each tube having a reentrant portion, and an electric heating element arranged in the reentrant portion of each tube.

7. An electric heater comprising a housing, bars supported on opposite sides of the housing, a. plurality of tubes spaced troni each other and troni the sides ot the hoursing and supported on said bars, each tube having a reentrant portion, and an electric heating eleinent supported on certain of said bars and within the' reentrant portion of each tube. y f

8. An electric heater rcomprising an open bottom housing, the front of which is formed as a grill, a pair of bars supported tion, and an electric heating element supon the sides of the housing, in the upper ported on the bars adjacent the grill and and lower portion thereof and spaced from Within the reentrant portion of each tube. 10 the grill and back thereof, a plurality of In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set tubes spaced from each other and from the my hand.

sides of the housing and supported between` said bars, each tube having a reentrant por- DONALD H, MCCORKLE. 

